32 billion euros to buy Wiz : Google invests in Israeli excellence
Vertiginous rise
Founded in 2020 by Assaf Rappaport, 41, Yinon Costica, 42, Ami Luttwak, 41, and Roy Reznik, 36, Wiz has quickly established itself as a reference in cloud cybersecurity. The blossoming start-up has developed a platform that analyzes data from various cloud services such as AWS, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud to identify vulnerabilities and prevent cyberattacks.
This success story rests above all on the expertise of its founders, all of whom come from Unit 8200, Israel's elite intelligence service. Before creating Wiz, they had already proved their worth by selling their previous startup, Adallom, to Microsoft for $320 million in 2015. Building on this initial success, these serial entrepreneurs were thus able to perfect their approach to cloud security and quickly attract some of America's largest corporations as customers. Today, Wiz secures nearly half of the 100 largest companies in the United States, including Amazon and Microsoft.
A buyout that shakes up the cloud sector
Google, in its quest for competitiveness in the cloud market, had already attempted a first acquisition in 2024, offering $23 billion at the time. This offer was rejected by Wi, who was considering an IPO at the time. Far from wanting to let this company slip through its fingers, Google came back with an offer of $32 billion, which finally convinced Wiz's management. This purchase far surpasses Google's previous acquisition record, held until now by the purchase of Motorola Mobility in 2011 for $12.5 billion.
Not surprisingly, it demonstrates the growing importance of cybersecurity in a world where migration to the cloud has become a strategic issue for businesses. What's more, Google's acquisition of Wiz comes at a time when tech mergers and acquisitions are coming under close scrutiny from regulators, particularly under the Trump administration. Indeed, while major companies are reluctant to engage in transactions of this magnitude for fear of antitrust measures, Google has taken the gamble of moving forward in spite of everything. This acquisition could therefore serve as a test of the authorities' tolerance of this type of operation.
An acquisition that marks a new era
Google's €32 billion acquisition of Wiz is more than just a major financial operation. It is a pivotal moment, illustrating the evolution of the global technological landscape, where cybersecurity is now at the heart of economic, political, strategic and geopolitical issues. Against a backdrop of massive cloud adoption and the rise of artificial intelligence, guaranteeing the security of digital infrastructures is becoming an imperative for all businesses, whatever their sector or size.
Beyond its strategic interest for Google, this acquisition highlights Israel's growing role as a technological powerhouse. In the space of just a few years, the start-up nation has established itself as a world leader in cybersecurity, supported by an entrepreneurial ecosystem of rare vitality. This success is based on a number of factors: a deeply rooted culture of innovation, fluid access to investment capital, a strong connection with international markets, as well as expertise born out of the country's history. What's more, this operation also reflects the revival of an innovation-oriented Middle East, where technology is becoming a vector for growth, change, international cooperation and prosperity. It is in the midst of this profound change that the startup nation has a responsibility to lead by example.
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